Wound On Cat’s Leg

[Artistwolf]

Long time, no see! It’s good to be back. My cats are doing pretty well but I did want to just ask a quick, hopefully minor, question.
So my cat Salt came home with a pretty noticeable leg injury. To me it looks like he just sort of scraped off some skin and he’s licking it a lot so I’m assuming he’s taking care of it but I just want to check with you guys what you think I should do. He’s not limping or anything; actually acting totally normal except for the licking. I read I shouldn’t use hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol on it, which is all I have so yeah. I can see about getting something else if you think I should though.
Alright, going to post this with a spoiler so you don’t have to see it; to me it doesn’t look too bad though and I’m a little hemaphobic.

Spoiler

So if you guys could please just give me your opinions... I’m currently just planning on watching it carefully for any signs of infection or fever and if that happens I’ll take him to the vet.
Thank you all!

 

[Columbine]

I would try and bathe it with lukewarm salt water. I always use it for animal wound cleaning, and it works pretty well.

I think a vet visit is called for, and the sooner the better. It looks to me like something has ruptured - probably a lump of some sort. Wounds like that can get infected (or re-infected if it had started out as an abcess) pretty easily, so I wouldn't want to take any chances.

Mega that Salt heals up very soon

 

[Erinlinkcappy]

I would try and bathe it with lukewarm salt water. I always use it for animal wound cleaning, and it works pretty well.

I think a vet visit is called for, and the sooner the better. It looks to me like something has ruptured - probably a lump of some sort. Wounds like that can get infected (or re-infected if it had started out as an abcess) pretty easily, so I wouldn't want to take any chances.

Mega that Salt heals up very soon

Agree that bathing with warm salt water at least twice a day is needed.

 

[duckpond]

yes, looks maybe like an abscess that has ruptured? Otherwise a pretty bad injury. I highly recommend a vet visit with him. It will need cleaned well by the vet, and most likely antibiotics. Otherwise he quite likely will have a problem with infection.
Try to get him to the vet, soon, and keep us updated!

 

[Artistwolf]

Thank you so much, guys! What exactly do you mean when you say to ‘bathe’ it in the saline? I used a spoon to sort of pour some on and then gently clean it off with a tissue. Is that right? When I dabbed at it with the tissue there was some yellow residue on the tissue; died that mean it’s infected? I’m definitely going to try and get him to a vet. I’m worried about the poor boy!

 

[duckpond]

I would say the yellow residue definitely indicates there is infection. He will need it cleaned out well, by the vet. and antibiotics.
Good luck to him, i hope you can get him in soon. Keep us updated!

 

[Columbine]

By 'bathing the wound' I just mean cleaning it using the salt water and cotton wool/cotton pads (I've even use paper towels in a pinch) - just like you'd clean a human injury.

It definitely sounds like a ruptured abscess to me. Do let us know what the vets says

 

[silkenpaw]

For future reference, it’s OK to put peroxide on a wound to disinfect it. The peroxide needs to be diluted with water (equal volumes of water and peroxide). That said, I wouldn’t do that more than once, for the initial cleaning. Afterwards, cleaning with warm water is enough. Salt water is fine, just make sure it’s not too salty, as that will hurt and damage the tissue.

I agree that the wound looks like it might be a ruptured abscess and should be looked at.

So what did it turn out to be and how’s your baby doing?

 

[di and bob]

Looks like a ruptured abscess to me, I've seen a lot of them. You could put some triple antibiotic on it, but he will most likely lick it off. I would go to the nearest farm supply store, like Orschelns or Tractor Supply and get a wound spray, it helps to keep the wound clean and moist. Abscesses take a long time to heal, but they do. If you notice a swelling or painful lump in the future, that is the time to start an antibiotic. If the wound you have now gets a green or yellow drainage and gets worse, I would ask the vet for a liquid antibiotic that you can put in some tuna. His licking the wound actually helps to keep it open and draining, which is good. All the luck!

 

[Artistwolf]

Sorry for my lack of response! We went to the vet and he said that Salt’s wound looked okay, but prescribed anti inflammatory meds for the limp that had begun. He says he’s got no idea what the wound is from, which seems a little odd but anyway.

 

[Artistwolf]

Sorry, was just giving a quick update earlier and didn’t have time to respond properly to everyone.
duckpond I found it weird how the vet said he saw no infection and didn’t really do anything at all with the wound. I’m not sure I’ll be going back to that vet; I didn’t love how he acted around the cats but he was alright I suppose. Hopefully he knew what he was talking about.
Columbine Thanks for the explanation! I agree that it might be a ruptured abscess, although if so I am surprised that I didn’t see any lump or anything beforehand. I generally try to look over my cats whenever I’m petting them to make sure they don’t have any weird lumps or bumps but I suppose it’s perfectly possible that I missed it.
silkenpaw Thank you for letting me know! That sounds like a great way to initially disinfect a wound then. I’ll keep that in mind for the next one, haha. As I said earlier, the vet said he had no idea... which I still think is a little weird but anyway.
di and bob Thank you so much! That’s good to know for the future at least. The wound is scabbed over now so I think it’s okay for the moment.

 

[duckpond]

If i were not happy with the vet in some way, or i did not think he was thorough in the exam, or his explanations on why he did, or did not do something, then yes, i would find a different vet.

I am surprised that he did not clean the wound, or give antibiotics, but gave an anti inflammatory? Hopefully he did right, and knew what he was doing. I would keep check on the cats wound, if it starts looking worse, or infected then i would see a different vet. Hopefully that will not be needed.

 

[Artistwolf]

Yeah, I’m thinking the same thing. Also looked up the medication he prescribed—Onisor—and it’s really used for post-operative pain relief/anti-inflammatory... seems weird.
I’m definitely keeping an eye on it. I agree that what he did didn’t make a whole lot of sense. He sort of acted like I was just a little girl who didn’t know what she was talking about. I’m 19, so I suppose I’m younger than most of his clients but I’d still like to be taken seriously.

 

[duckpond]

Hopefully everything will be fine, and he will heal without issue. Still seems odd, what the vet did, and didnt do.. But hopefully its the right thing to do. Keep watch, and do continue to let us know how he is doing!

 

[silkenpaw]

I think the Onsior is being used as an analgesic in this case. How does the wound look now?

Women are often not taken seriously by men and even other women . I’m glad you are aware of this and unwilling to put up with it.

 

[Columbine]

It might be worth investigating other vets in your area. You need to be with a vet who listens to you, and who you feel confident with. Your age shouldn't be a factor - even as a minor, I'd have to deal with vets myself (I had horses, and my parents didn't know about them so I'd be doing the talking and wound care), and I always felt listened to and respected. I wouldn't feel confident with a vet who didn't take me seriously, and you shouldn't have to either.

This article has some good pointers that may help future visits go more smoothly:-
How To Talk To Your Vet

 

[Artistwolf]

Hey guys! You’ll be happy to hear that Salt’s leg looks almost completely pink and better now. Quick question though—do you suppose he’ll ever grow his fur back in that area? He’s gotten a small scratch before and he lost a tiny patch of fur from that and I can still find the bald patch today, and that was from May. Pepper got a bite wound around the time Salt got his leg injury and although it looks almost completely better, it, too, still has a hairless patch around it. Is this a thing with cats, that their injured areas never grow fur back? Or does it just take long time? Lol.

 

[Columbine]

Fantastic news that he's all healed up

I'd have thought his fur will grow back eventually, but it'll take time. My girl had bald ears and a bald belly when I found her (ex semi feral who'd been living rough was was hugely malnourished). It took a year or so, but all her fur did come back, as did the fur on the wounded areas. Just be patient

 

[Artistwolf]

Hahaha, good to know, thanks! I don’t really mind if he has a battle scar but was just curious.
Yup, here’s a photo of it from today! Looks a whole lot better, eh?

And he’s not limping so I’m quite satisfied.
And good for you for rescuing your poor girl, Columbine ! Glad to hear she’s all healed up too

 

[duckpond]

So glad that he is doing better!